Kendrick Lamar has set the rap world ablaze with his “Control” verse from Big Sean’s new song. After calling out hip-hop’s elite, it was only expected that people would respond. And Lupe Fiasco is the first significant rapper to reply to Kendrick in a new song called “SLR2.” Lupe was not mentioned in Kendrick’s verse, and that may have been a bigger slight than being named directly. According to vibe.com:
“Seemingly annoyed with the snub, the Chicago MC drops the sequel to his fan favorite ‘SLR,’ demanding his acknowledgement with lines like: “N*gga, you ain’t Nas, n*gga you ain’t Jay Z/You will respect me, you will reject me/But I’ve done so much, no matter how far you go, you will reflect me.” Kendrick isn’t called out by name, but the timing and references make it pretty clear who’s in Lu’s crosshairs.”
Kendrick Lamar probably did not leave out Lupe because he doesn’t consider him a great MC, it was probably attributed to the fact that Lupe is a bit more established in his career than, say, a J. Cole. Whatever the reasoning, Lupe took the opportunity to respond.
Kendrick has started a hip-hop awakening, and from a fan’s perspective, you can’t help but sit back and enjoy the music that’s going to come out in the upcoming weeks. Check out Lupe’s “SLR2” and tell us what you think.
